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Staff ReportsJuly 2, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott says he has told the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to “file a budget amendment to redirect funding for homelessness prevention services.” Scott announced the move in a news release Monday. “The Florida Legislature provided DCF spending authority in the FY 2018-19 budget, but did not provide dollars needed to fund these […]

Staff ReportsJuly 2, 2018

The capital area’s top prosecutor on Monday said a decision whether to press charges in the Jack Latvala investigation won’t come till next week at the earliest. A spokesperson for State Attorney Jack Campbell said Friday a decision could have come as early as this week. Campbell called Florida Politics Monday morning to say he was […]

Peter SchorschJuly 2, 2018

Poll numbers in two battleground state Senate seats have shifted significantly since last month, while a third race remains essentially deadlocked. In SD 16, the seat previously held by Jack Latvala, Republican Ed Hooper and Democrat Amanda Murphy remain deadlocked, with Hooper at 45 percent and Murphy at 43 percent. The good news here for the GOP is that this […]

Staff ReportsJune 29, 2018

On the heels of a Duval County School Board member claiming that his district is “gaming the system” with artificially inflated civics test scores at a struggling school, six Republican lawmakers demanded answers Thursday from Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. Reps. Jason Fischer, Michael Bileca, James Grant, Bob Rommel, and Jennifer Sullivan, along with Sen. Dennis Baxley, raised concerns about “Duval, Manatee […]

Drew WilsonJune 28, 2018

Sarasota Republican Melissa Howard announced Thursday that she had earned the backing of Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera in her campaign to succeed Rep. Joe Gruters in House District 73. “Melissa Howard is the business owner, community leader, and conservative champion that will best serve her constituents in District 73. I am pleased to endorse Melissa’s […]

Drew WilsonJune 28, 2018

Gonzalez Republican Rebekah Bydlak announced Thursday that she had picked up the endorsement of the National Rifle Association in her bid to succeed term-limited Rep. Clay Ingam in House District 1. The NRA said it picked Bydlak out of the three Republicans in the primary race due to her “strong support of the Second Amendment, […]

Scott PowersJune 28, 2018

A new national poll by the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence finds an overwhelming percentage of LGBTQ voters support what the fund is campaigning on: gun control. Released Thursday, the survey used a cross-section of voters who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, finding gun law reforms is their top issue, identified […]

Drew WilsonJune 27, 2018

A political committee tied to the Florida Medical Association gave Gonzalez Republican Rebekah Bydlak its seal of approval in the race to succeed term-limited Rep. Clay Ingram in Escambia-based House District 1. “As a lifelong member of her community, Rebekah Bydlak will be a great representative to her constituents in House District 1 and the […]

Jim RosicaJune 27, 2018

Despite interviewing five “quality candidates” on Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet held off on appointing a new head of the state’s Office of Financial Regulation (OFR). Instead, they decided to keep the application period open through mid-July. Thirty-four people already had applied. Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and […]

Jim RosicaJune 26, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott didn’t telegraph his interest in who should be the state’s top financial regulator at a Tuesday campaign stop in Jacksonville for his U.S. Senate campaign. Earlier, an aide to the Governor at a Cabinet Aides meeting said he would announce his preference later in the day. When asked whether Republican state Rep. Jay […]

Influence
Volunteers and team members from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and World Central Kitchen organize meals for storm victims taking shelter at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center in Tampa, Florida. Image via Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

Rick Scott orders money for homelessness prevention

Jack Latvala prosecution decision will likely come next week

Fresh polling: Jeff Brandes, Janet Cruz lead in battleground state Senate seats; Ed Hooper, Amanda Murphy deadlocked.

Lawmakers demand answers on questionable civics test results

Melissa Howard earns backing of Carlos Lopez-Cantera

Rebekah Bydlak earns NRA endorsement over former lawmaker Mike Hill

Poll: Gay voters are concerned about guns

Florida Medical Association backs Rebekah Bydlak for HD 1

Rick Scott, Cabinet delay decision on hiring new OFR head

Rick Scott won’t say whether he likes Jay Fant as OFR head